UN OCHA assures to protect Ethiopians after meeting Afar regional state President

The humanitarian situation in Tigray is deteriorating, and violence in the neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions is wreaking devastation. The Head of UN OCHA for Ethiopia, Marcy Vigoda, met with the President of the Afar Regional State, Sheikh Mohammed Dersa, on Friday to discuss the situation. The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated on Twitter that the discussion's findings will be successful and will help them coordinate additional responses to those affected by the violence.

UN OCHA also stated in a Tweet, "We will continue to help and protect Ethiopians, regardless of who they are or where they come from! For this, unfettered access is key so that humanitarian partners can reach those in need, anywhere, anytime."

The number of humanitarian workers slain in Tigray has risen to 23

According to the UN OCHA's report which was released on 16th September, the number of humanitarian workers slain in Tigray has risen from 12 to 23 since the conflict began, with allegations of the killing of an additional 11 relief workers from the Relief Society of Tigray (REST, a Tigray-based NGO) lately emerging. Despite the fact that these reports were just released, the deaths occurred in June and January. Acting Humanitarian Coordinator for Ethiopia, Grant Leaity, issued a statement on September 2 condemning the killings, assaults, attacks, abductions, and threats against relief workers.

The UN Human Rights Office and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission completed the fieldwork phase of their joint investigation into alleged violations of human rights, humanitarian, and refugee legislation committed by all parties to the conflict in Tigray on September 10th. The team performed studies in Mekelle, Wukro, Samre, Alamata, Bora, Maichew, Dansha, Maikadra, Humera, Gondar, Bahir Dar, and Addis Ababa between May 16 and August 20. It interviewed almost 200 people in Tigray, including victims and witnesses, regional and national authorities, civil society organisations, religious institutions, medical and legal authorities, and humanitarian agencies.

140,000 people had been relocated to the Afar region

By the end of August, more than 140,000 people had been relocated to the Afar region, according to regional authorities. Over 233,000 people have been displaced in Dessie and Kombolcha in South Wello Zone. Due to the war, more than 1.7 million people in both regions are said to be food insecure.

Image: Twitter/@OCHA_Ethiopia